PSTA Breaks Ground on New Clearwater Beach Transit Center

Oct. 6, 2017

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority broke ground Thursday on a new transit center on Clearwater Beach.

Left to right: Commissioner Joe Barkley, city of Belleair Bluffs; Commissioner John Tornga, city of Dunedin; Commissioner Dave Eggers, Pinellas County; Bill Horne, City Manager, city of Clearwater; Rosemary Windsor, Jolley Trolley; Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton, city of Clearwater; Robert Bandes, Bandes Construction; Jillian Bandes, Bandes Construction; Lisa Chandler, Sugar Sand Festival; Mayor George Cretekos, city of Clearwater; Councilmember Bob Cundiff, city of Clearwater; Brad Miller, CEO, PSTA; Darlene Kole, Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce; Councilmember Bill Jonson, city of Clearwater

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority broke ground Thursday on a new transit center on Clearwater Beach.

The Clearwater Beach Transit Center will consist of a bus bay, covered pedestrian waiting areas, and pick-up/drop-off areas for riders making transportation connections.

“The city of Clearwater recognizes the economic growth that stems from having strong public transportation in any community,” said Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos. “This new transit center is an investment in Clearwater and an investment in the hundreds of thousands of visitors who are attracted every year to Clearwater Beach.”

The city of Clearwater partnered with PSTA to contribute $250,000 towards the capital construction cost of the center and to provide ongoing maintenance. The remaining cost of the project will be funded by PSTA’s capital reserves.

“Any transportation project takes collaboration, innovation, and strong partnerships,” said PSTA Board Chair Darden Rice. “PSTA’s mission is to expand our partnerships within the community, respond to their needs, and work together to facilitate innovative transportation solutions for everyone.”

The Clearwater Beach Transit Center will also introduce the county’s first queue-jump, signal prioritization which will allow buses to pull ahead of traffic to shorten travel times.

“This new transit center brings important benefits to both visitors and beach employees,” said PSTA CEO Brad Miller. “Rather than make multiple bus and trolley transfers, everyone now can get a car-free ride directly to where they want to go, the beach without having to find or pay for a parking spot. Longer term, this transit center is a key foundation block to a future with an express service to the Tampa International Airport maybe in an express lane over the causeway bridge."

The transit center will immediately serve four routes including all three of the Jolley Trolley routes and the Suncoast Beach Trolley route. Currently, more than 800,000 trips are taken on PSTA’s trolley routes a year.

Bandes Construction Inc is set to complete the transit center by Spring Break next year.